William c



(No Model.)

W. C. HOMAN. CENTRAL 'DRAFT LAMP.

No. 496,657. Patented May 2, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

WILLIAM C. HOMAN, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE EDWARD MILLER d', COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CENTRAL-DRAFT LAMP. I

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,657, dated May 2, 1893.

Application tiled November 28,1892. Serial No.'453,338. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

` Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. HOMAN, of Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Central-Draft Lamps; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a view in vertical central sectionof alamp constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a detached broken view in vertical section of the central-draft tube of the lamp, showing the jaws of the wick-holder in theirprojected positionsin whichthey grip and hold thewick; Fig. 3, asimilarview showing the jaws in their retired positions in which they release the wick; Fig. 4, a view of the draft-- tube in transverse section on the line y-y of Fig. .4, showing the discharge-openings from the inside drip-trough; Fig. 5, a similar view on the line x-fc of the said ligure, showing the depressed, exterior grooves which receive theoil of interception from the drip-trough, and also receive the wick-jaws permitting them to spring away from the wick.

My invention relates' to an improvement in central-draft lamps, the object being to produce a simple, convenient and eifective article, in which the labor of wicking is reduced to the minimum, and in which leakage through the inside of the draft-tube is provided for and prevented.

With these ends in view, myinvention consists in the combination, in a central-draft lamp, with a central draft-tube provided with exterior depressions or grooves, of a wick-adjuster comprising a band encircling the said tube, and constructed with spring wick-jaws, normally projected by engagement with the said tube, beyond the surface of the band, for engagement with the wick, and constructed to spring into the said depressions or grooves when brought into line\therewith, to release the wick.

' My invention further consists in certain details of construction and ccmbinationsof parts as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a wick-adjuster, comprising a deep band A, adapted to encircle and slide freely up and down on the central-draft tube B, which is made in two transverse sections, as will be described hereinafter, the said band constructed, as herein shown, with three verti-V cally arranged wick-jaws C, each having at its free upper end two substantially vertical, serrated wings c, standing radially with respect to the band, formed integral with it by ssl cutting and bending it in a manner'which 'faces of the inwardly set upper ends of the jaws will cause them to be thrown outward, and projected beyond the surface of the band, for a, distance which will approximate the thickness of the wick, as shown by Fig. 2 of the drawings.

In order to permit the retirement of the jaws, the draft-tube is provided with a corresponding number of exterior depressions or grooves D, adapted in dimensions, depth and v location to receive the jaws when the wickband is sufficiently elevated to bring the same into alignment with them, at which time the inward set of the jaws will. cause them to spring into the said grooves or depressions,

as shown by Fig. 3 of the drawings, whereby they will release their hold on the wick, for then they will only be Hush with .the exterior surface of the wick-band. The lower ends of these depressions gradually taper out into the full diameter of the tube, so that the jaws readily ride out of the grooves when the band is depressed. In order to remove the band from the tube, it is rotated so as to carry the jaws out of line with the grooves or depressions, and then lifted off from the tube.

I do not limit myself to using three jaws in preference to two, or four, or another num'- ber, nor to constructing them integral with the wick-band, or in any particular way, but only so that they will operate on the principle set forth. I may here remark thata wick band provided with wick-jaws constructed to IOO be normally projected beyond the surface of the band by the exterior surface of the drafttube, and to spring back when disengaged from said surface of the tube, is not broadly new with me, having been patented to Horace Lee Clark in United States Patent No. 440,739, November 18, 1890. The construction described in that patent required the wick-band to be lifted above the upper end of the draft-tube before the jaws would spring inward, but in my construction it is not necessary to disconnect the band from the tube, but only to lift it the height of the grooves or depressions therein.

By preference, the grooves or depressions D, have in addition to the function of forming clearance spaces for the wick-jaws C, that of discharging the oil intercepted by a driptrough F, located within the tube at a point about on the level with the upper ends of the said grooves. As herein shown, this trough is formed by making the tube in an upper and a lower section, and inwardly setting the extreme upper end of the lower section, and fitting the lower end of the upper section over that, as shown by Fig. 3 of the drawings, whereby a trough is formed. The grooves D, are formed in the upper end of the lower section of the tube, and continued up through the inwardly set upper edge thereof, whereby the discharge openings d, shown by Fig. 4 of the drawings are formed, these openings being in fact the eXtreme upper ends of the grooves. I do not limit myself, however, to employing the grooves or depressions for the additional purpose of discharging oil intercepted on the inside of the draft-tube, nor to constructing the drip trough as described.

As herein shown, the wick-band A, is provided with an outwardly projecting horizontal shank or socket G, which receives the bent lower end of the inner leg or member H, of the drawbar, which passes upward through an outwardly opening notch I, formed in the outer edge of au intermediate ring I', Set into the top of the fount J, and not removable with the lamp-burner, which is notl shown. The outer member H, of the drawbar is provided at its lower end with a coarsely-threaded head h, which takes into a threaded tube K, provided at its upper end with a thumb-nut K', rigidly fastened to it, and suspended in the lamp-fount by means of a suspension nut L, screwed into a short sleeve M, vertically mounted in the fount, the said nut having a central opening through which the nut K and the tube K are connected together. Under Athis construction the wickband may be raised and lowered either by means of the thumb-nut K, or by means of the draw-bar, thus combining the advantages of a screw and direct adjustment. I do not,

however limit myself to any particular way of operating the wick-band A, having only shown and described the adjusting features just mentioned to illustrate one way of operating the said band.

I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction herein shown and described, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I do not broadly claim the combination with a central-draft tube having longitudinal grooves, of a wick-band carrying spring wickgripping devices coactin g with the grooves 1n the tube.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is n l. In a central-draft lamp, the combination with a central-draft tube constructed with exterior depressions or grooves, of a wick-adjuster comprising a band encircling the said tube, and spring wick-jaws carried by the said band, tending to move inward toward each other, adapted at their free ends toenter the said depressions or grooves when brought into range therewith, and normally riding upon the surface of the tube, whereby they are projected beyond the surface of the band to grip the wick, substantially as described.

2. In a central-draft lamp, the combination with a draft tube constructed near its upper end with exterior depressions or grooves, of a wick-adjuster comprising a band encircling the tube, spring wick-jaws carried by the band, tending to move toward each other, adapted at their free ends to enter the said depressions or grooves whenv brought into range therewith, and normally riding upon the surface of the tube, whereby they are projected beyond the surface of the band to grip the wick, and means for raising and lowering the band, arranged to normally hold the jaws thereof 1n the same vertical line with the said depressions or grooves, substantially as described.

. 3. In a central-draft lamp, the combination with a central draft tube constructed near its upper c nd with exterior depressions or grooves, of a wick-adjuster comprising a band encircling the said tube, and spring wickjaws formed integral with the band, tending to move inward toward each other, having their free upper ends provided with jaws and adapted to enter the said grooves or depressions when brought into range therewith, and normally riding upon the surface of the tube, whereby they are projected beyond the surface of the band, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

W M. C. I'IOMAN.

W i tn esses z ALFRED DUNLOP, ALBERT N LATTIN.

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